US private equity firms raised nearly $100 billion over the first six months of the year, a 43% jump over the same period last year. But having so many dollars in play could mean too much of a good thing. Janet Babin reports.

President Bush and other world leaders are in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the G8 Summit this weekend. It's the first time the conference has been held in the former Soviet country. And Russians are really looking forward to it. Stephen Beard reports.

There's been speculation that the cooling of the housing market could result in lower retail sales. Commentator and retail consultant Michael Silverstein isn't buying it.

That's Zero Interest Rate Policy — long Japan's response to a decade of deflationary recession. But tomorrow, Japan's central bank is expected to reinstate interest rates for the first time in five years. Steve Herman has the story.

Trade figures for May show that the US imported $63 billion more in goods than it exported. That's the sixth-largest trade deficit in history, but it's just a sign of the times. Stacey Vanek-Smith explains.

Tomorrow the White House is expected to announce the projected budget deficit will be $100 billion less than originally feared, because people paid way more in taxes than expected. But why? Scott Tong reports.

Comptroller General of the United States David Walker has a warning for new Treasury Secy. Henry Paulson and his boss: Fix current economic policies or we're in for a lot of pain.

The US labor market added 121,000 jobs last month. But that was below analysts' expectations. Meanwhile, wages were up. Could that signal inflation? Bob Moon reports that economists are scratching their heads about what it all means.

Newspapers around the country have recently chronicled the dire economic plight of many black men. Commentator Marcellus Andrews says the issue has less to do with racism and more to do with the nature of our economy.